Beavers are causing problems in Schroeder. A culvert on Sugarloaf Road is threatening to clog because of the industrious building projects of nearby beaver. Schroeder Township Supervisor Roger “Bill” McKeever reported at the township board meeting on July 9, 2013 that he had cleaned the culvert out recently but had a hard time doing it.
Fire Chief Bill Bonin suggested putting screens on either end of the culvert, but McKeever recommended putting an electrical device used on livestock fences into the culvert to shock and scare the beavers away. He said it would not kill them, however.
With Supervisor Tina McKeever absent, Supervisors Bill McKeever and Deb Johnson passed a motion authorizing the installation of the electrical chargers.
McKeever said, “I’m sure they’re going to get the best of us one way or the other.”
Father Baraga park
Those present at the meeting discussed plans to enhance the town park/Father Baraga’s Cross area.
With any improvements that are made, such as a permanent pit toilet, more maintenance will be required. “The more you add, the greater your liability,” Treasurer Alicia Kangas pointed out.
Carol Tveekrem, who lives near the park, said she sees business vehicles driving down there at night in the wintertime. She found out that people can get a cell phone signal at that location and figured businesspeople make phone calls there.
Tveekrem said it is often very cold down there by the lake, but the lake breeze helps keep the bugs away in the summertime.
Fire and rescue
June was a busy month for the fire and rescue department, Fire Chief Phil Bonin said, with a lot of fires and medical calls – three in one day. He said one of their tenders was having transmission problems. The vehicle is nine years old and the transmission is computer-controlled. Bonin reported that the fire department filled the water tank at the Schroeder cemetery, adding, “Now that it’s nice and rainy!”
Reflective signs
High-reflectivity signs have been ordered that comply with new federal regulations. Gale Ring and Carol Tveekrem indicated that the new highly reflective signs are so bright they blind you at night. Regarding the new regulations, Supervisor McKeever said, “I totally disagree with them.”
New computer
The board passed a motion authorizing Treasurer Kangas to spend up to $500 on a computer that can be used to store the township’s financial data. Kangas thought she might be able to find a computer with Excel and Word for about $300. She suggested the purchase, she said, because she thought the township’s financial data should be stored on a computer owned by the township.
Organizing storage room
The board authorized Treasurer Kangas and Deputy Clerk Ring to organize the storage room. Kangas said that the township files and documents needed organizing. Some new shelving will help accomplish that.
Line of sight concerns
County Commissioner Bruce Martinson said that he talked to Todd Campbell of the Minnesota Department of Transportation about concerns regarding brush along Highway 61 obscuring people’s lines of sight when they exit their driveways.
New flagpole
The new flagpole is in place, installed by Greg Johnson. “Greg did a good job,” Clerk Doug Schwecke said.
Former township clerk Carol Tveekrem noted that the rope actually moves and there are things to hang the flag on – quite an improvement from the old pole.
Welcome Walls
Deputy Clerk Gale Ring said she and a friend spent a couple of hours pulling tansy from the township’s Welcome Walls on either side of the highway, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.
One problem, Ring said, is disposing of the invasive species without spreading it. She said she has been talking to County Agriculture Inspector David Betts about how it can be safely discarded.
Phil Bonin suggested putting the tansy in black plastic bags. Ring said experts don’t even know how long it would take for the plant to die inside black plastic bags. Burning it spreads it, she said. Chemicals would kill it, but they are not selective and would kill other things as well, she said.
One person who preferred to remain anonymous joked, “I’m thinking of a flame thrower in wet weather!”
Bill McKeever said invasives are brought up here with grass that is used to re-vegetate roadsides.
Carol Tveekrem has been pulling tansy as well. “Carol’s wall looks really nice,” Ring said.
“Your fingers get kind of ‘crampy’ after the 1,000th one!” Tveekrem said.
Six Minnesota Conservation Corps volunteers will be spending half a day helping to get rid of the tansy later this summer.
Information sought on stone buildings
A University of Minnesota student contacted the township requesting photos and historical information on stone buildings in Cook County. People wanting to help in this effort can contact Clerk Schwecke.
Supervisor McKeever said that years ago, he would find old stone homesteads in the woods but thinks many of them have disintegrated.
August meeting
The next township meeting will be the continuation of the annual meeting followed by a regular monthly township board meeting. It will be held on Monday, August 12 instead of the usual day, which would be the second Tuesday of the month, because of state primary elections on August 13.
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